Natsu ran up, drenched in sweat, having climbed back from who knows where. Seeing no enemies around, he wordlessly hoisted Gray onto his shoulder, preparing to leave.
Riyao, who had been squatting in the shadows snacking on melon seeds, popped out with half a seed still in his mouth: "Wait for me! I'm still here!"
The three of them hurried back toward the village, their footsteps frantic as they sprinted the whole way.
Just as they stepped into the village, Lucy shouted in a shrill voice, "Stop! Don't go any further!"
Natsu skidded to a violent halt, his heels carving deep grooves into the dirt ground.
Lucy let out a long sigh of relief, just about to explain the trap.
Natsu glanced at the hay on the ground and tilted his head. "What's this?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped on it.
Snap!
The trap collapsed instantly. Natsu, along with Gray, fell into the pit with a dull thud.
Watching this big idiot, Riyao wanted to string them up and give them a beating. However, to maintain his professionalism as an actor, he clutched his head and cried out at the top of his lungs, "Oh, my heavens! Who is the scoundrel responsible for this?! To actually try and assassinate Lord Natsu!"
Lucy turned her head away awkwardly, her cheeks flushing slightly red.
Happy fluttered over on his wings and pointed a small paw accusingly. "Lucy did it!"
"You stupid cat!" Lucy reached out to grab Happy.
Natsu climbed out of the pit with Gray on his back, his face covered in dust, while Gray remained groggy and semi-conscious.
Just as he set Gray down, enemies attacked from the sky.
Angelica flew over carrying Sherry, Toby, and Yuka. Her rat tail spun to create fierce winds, and she held a bucket of corrosive liquid emitting green smoke.
Lucy crouched down, clutching her head in a total breakdown. "I feel like such an idiot."
Riyao gave her a thumbs-up, his teeth flashing white. "Lord Lucy's self-awareness is truly high! Too cool!"
Lucy turned to retort, her eye twitching. "You don't need to repeat what I said earlier! Also, you're making fun of me, aren't you! Admit it!"
In the sky, Sherry ordered Angelica to pour the corrosive liquid. The green fluid rained down, enveloping the entire village as a pungent, acrid smell filled the air.
The village chief clung to his son's tombstone, refusing to leave. Murky tears flowed down his demonized cheeks. "This is all I have left to remember him by..."
Natsu broke into a run, kicking up a deep pit in the dirt before launching into a massive jump. "Happy!"
Happy chirped "Aye!" and flew over to catch Natsu, soaring toward the sky.
Natsu brought his flaming hands together, condensing the intense fire into a massive fireball in his palms. The heat waves distorted the surrounding air.
"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"
The fireball smashed into the liquid, exploding instantly upon contact with a thunderous roar that blasted the fluid apart.
The liquid fell in a ring, corroding the village's roofs, walls, doors, and windows. White smoke hissed from the wood, and bricks collapsed like melting butter.
Fortunately, the explosion had created a hollow safety zone, leaving everyone unharmed.
Even the village chief was saved by Virgo. She emerged from the ground, her short pink hair fluttering as she elegantly supported the chief.
Riyao ran over, looking moved to tears. "Good heavens! Thank you so much, pink-haired lady! If it weren't for you, we'd be holding the chief's funeral feast right now!"
As he spoke, he wiped away a bit of drool.
Virgo glanced at Riyao, her calm eyes showing a hint of confusion.
She seemed to sense something, but she didn't say it.
Sherry and the others walked over boldly, as if inspecting their own territory.
Natsu urgently told the villagers to run.
Riyao ran to the front and pointed at them, shouting with spit flying everywhere, "You immoral bastards! Don't you know how dangerous it is to drop things from high altitudes? Look, my village is gone!"
Yuka snorted, his caterpillar-like eyebrows knitting together. "Ugly brat, you think you're worthy of speaking to me? Scram."
Sherry, riding Angelica, initiated a charge, flying low as they rushed forward.
Lucy instinctively grabbed onto Angelica's toes and was carried into the sky, her long blonde hair dancing wildly in the wind.
Riyao pondered; was this the choice of destiny?
Natsu lunged over and tackled Riyao, and the two of them lay flat on the ground.
Yuka had launched an attack at some point; a ripple passed over their heads, distorting the very air.
"Watch out! Klass!" Natsu shouted.
Riyao scrambled up from the ground, brushed the dirt off himself, and yelled, "I'll take you all on!"
His Demons Hand swung toward Yuka's stomach, its pitch-black scales glinting coldly under the moonlight.
Yuka activated his Wave Magic, opening a Wave Barrier in front of him. The blue ripples shimmered like the surface of water.
"Hmph, a native like you could never understand how powerful Wave Magic is."
But Riyao's Demons Hand seemed completely unaffected, piercing straight through the Wave Barrier and slamming into Yuka's stomach.
Thump!
Yuka's body doubled over like a shrimp. Clutching his stomach, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale. "What the hell do you do for a living?!"
Riyao raised his Demons Hand, the black scales shining in the moonlight. Baring his teeth in a grin, he said, "I'm a farmer! People call me the Awesome Klas!"
Upon hearing this, Yuka collapsed straight to the ground, his eyes rolling back.
Natsu also showed off his 'intelligence' by squatting in front of Toby with a look of pure sincerity. "Hey! You've got something on your face."
Toby felt his own face, his fingers touching his own eyebrows, which paralyzed him instantly. His limbs twitched a couple of times before he went still.
Natsu slung an arm around Riyao's shoulder and said excitedly, his eyes shining like two stars, "Whoa! You're pretty capable! Do you want to join our guild?"
Riyao acted flattered, covering his mouth with both hands as his eyes welled up. "Can I really?"
After settling Gray, Riyao beat his chest with a look of determination. "I am now the hope of the entire village, the 'person' most likely to make it out! I want to go with Lord Natsu to defeat those evil villains!"
Natsu patted Riyao's shoulder and grinned. "When we get back, I'm definitely bringing you into the guild!"
The sun rose quietly. As dawn broke, the golden sunlight dispelled the purple moonlight.
The two of them headed toward the ruins.
Meanwhile, on the beach, Lucy and Happy had already been apprehended by Erza and Mirajane.
Erza's face was terrifyingly dark. Having donned her majestic armor, she stood with arms crossed, her voice stern: "Lucy! Happy! How dare you take on an S-Class Quest without permission!"
Lucy and Happy lowered their heads, not daring to speak. They trembled like two small animals that had done something wrong.
Mira asked with a smile, her long silver hair fluttering in the sea breeze, "Have you seen Riyao? Riyao should have arrived long ago."
Lucy and Happy looked up in surprise and said in unison, "Riyao arrived long ago? We didn't see him."
Mira rested her chin on her hand in thought, her silver eyelashes blinking slightly. "Then he must be protecting you from the shadows."
The traveling Riyao sneezed and rubbed his nose. Mira must be thinking about me.
...
Natsu and Riyao spent most of the day trekking back to the ruins. The ruins were on the other side of the island, exactly opposite the village. The two of them sprinted along the coastline, leaving deep footprints in the sand.
Riyao asked, panting as he ran, "Lord Natsu, do you have a plan?"
Natsu rubbed his chin, striking a thinking pose with a furrowed brow and a solemn expression. After a long two and a half seconds:
"Wouldn't it be fine just to destroy the ruins?"
Riyao tried to stop him slightly, reaching out to pull Natsu back. "But the ruins are historical artifacts. That wouldn't be right."
Natsu lifted his head high and puffed out his chest proudly. "It's fine. I've destroyed plenty of artifacts before."
You're actually quite proud of that, aren't you?
Far away at the guild, Makarov felt a sudden chill and instinctively clutched his wallet tightly.